William “Bill” Arnold Hopkins

 

Mr. William “Bill” Arnold Hopkins, age 76, of Zebulon, passed away December 18, 2022, at his home.  He grew up in Forest Park, son of the late Arnold Hopkins and Doris Hughes Hopkins Bennett.  After graduating from Forest Park High School, Bill married his sweetheart, Cindy Deaton on September 26, 1966.  He was drafted into the United States Army and sent to Vietnam weeks after they were married. In 1968, after serving in the military for two years, he was honorably discharged and went to work for Southern Bell-AT&T, retiring as a telephone repairman after 30 years. Bill then began another career at the Pike County Recreation Complex where he maintained the ballfields. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, and tinkering in his shop. He was an expert in small engine repair!

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife: Cindy Deaton Hopkins and his sister, Peggy Wilson.

 

He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law: Alicia and Brian Dorton of Forsyth; sister: Helen Ware of LaGrange; brothers-in-law: Richard “Dickie” Deaton Sr. of McDonough, Willie and Sharon Deaton of Hampton and David and Sylvia Deaton of Molena; nephews: Richard “Richy” Jr. and Angela Deaton of McDonough, Mike and Brenda Newman of Jackson, Jeff and Tori Newman of Brooks, Nash and Shannon Deaton of Hampton, Nick and Stephanie Deaton of Locust Grove, Kurt and Dawn of Roswell, Bryan and Casandra Deaton of Zebulon.

 

He is also survived by nieces:  Missy and Tim Justice of Jackson,  Mesha and Carmen of McDonough, Kelly of McDonough, Laura Janak of Colorado, Kayla and Kenny Mann of Hampton, and Brandy and Paul Burns of Molena; three lifelong best friends were brothers to him:  Gene (Gina) Davies of Forsyth, Billy (Rhonda) Collins of McDonough, and Jerry (Jodie) Jackson of McDonough, and friend, Charlotte Noon of McDonough; many more family and friends.

 

Friends may visit the family on Thursday, December 22, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., at the funeral home.